Complications
by blizzard11
Summary: Mikagami Tokiya is a top-notch lawyer who specializes in crime cases and leaves it at that. However, when a certain Kirisawa steps in, he accepts the case without realizing that he just might get more than what he's bargaining for. R&R please!
1. Headstart

**Complications**

By Jin

**Disclaimers:** Rekka no Honou and its characters are copyrighted to their respective owners. No profit was gained from writing this, except for the amusement of the author and the people who would read this. Senada, however, is purely fictional and has nothing to do with the anime/manga series.

**1: Headstart ---**

9:25 am.

Tokiya didn't like this. Not one bit.

He was sitting by his desk, sipping his cappuccino when his tyro-cum-assistant came rushing in, light brown hair was slightly mussed when it was supposed to be in a neat ponytail and her spectacles were hanging loosely by her blouse. It was palpable that she was rushing to beat the ticking arms of the clock hanging by the corner of the office while trying to look like it was an ordinary feat and failing miserably. He rolled his eyes at her nth tardiness. 

_Nope. No can do._

He checked his watch and arched an eyebrow.

"5 minutes earlier than your usual entrance, yet STILL late. What could be your reason this time?"

"I brought you doughnuts." She grinned lopsidedly, trying to avoid his wary stare. "Does that count?"

"No, it doesn't." he suppressed a slight simper. "Yuriko, you better watch it. I'm not going to save your ass if you lose a battle at court."

"I know, I know." She said, in a small huff, quickly setting down her bag and a mangled box of pastries by her desk just outside his workplace. "You'll thank me later, when you get the sudden crave for glucose, sucrose, fructose and maltose. Anyway," she hurried back to him, with a folder in hand, which she practically slammed into the glass surface, causing the stack of papers on it to shift.

"New case for you." 

The remaining eyebrow joined his raised one. "What's this?"

Yuriko straightened her white polo and slacks before launching into what he foresaw to be a long speech. "Kirisawa Fuuko, 23 years old, graduate of a Biology course at the Tokyo University, currently taking up her masters at the said school, for a degree in the earth sciences. She's asking that you take over a family case of theirs. Her father is being charged with attempted murder and arson towards a 'Fujiwara' clan. Right now, they're scheduled for court meetings every other Tuesday of the month at 10 am in the morning. It's a long process because the alleged suspect claims that he is innocent and is ready to support his plea with substantial evidence. However," she finally closed the white folder and handed it to him. "The facts are a bit scattered and they need a lawyer that has more wit than the average Joe."

She said all of this very fast.

"How long has this case been here?" he asked, scanning the documents.

"About 3 weeks already."

"Today's Wednesday, and there's a court hearing next week?" Tokiya's face twisted into a frown. "Why are you only giving me this now?"

"It's not that simple. They've been searching for a good lawyer, however most of the ones they find are either too dumb, or too snobbish to pay attention to them. I know this case is simple, most probably one of your easier conquests, so I was hoping you'd take it. You did mention that you had nothing to do ever since you won that Tsukino indictment."

"So now you decided that I've been too bored and want me to help this little girl's father in court? And this is because..." he asked again, leaning forward and watching her with a slight scowl. 

"Because you're one of the best lawyers here in Tokyo, and not to mention the most goddamned expensive," she muttered the last few words under her breath, " Listen, she needs our help. Her dad is facing serious trouble here. It's only right that we..."

"We? That's the first time I heard that pronoun. For the past 10 minutes, all you've been giving me is 'you'." Tokiya said, with evident sarcasm.

Yuriko sighed. "Look, she's helpless. She's a fresh graduate, with no sense of direction whatsoever. Her parent is faced with a lawsuit, which they assert to be a lie set up by one of her late grandfather's enemies. If no one helps her, her father could face serious penalties for a crime he didn't commit at all. In fact, he's at penitentiary status at the moment, so it's just Fuuko doing the research."

"And what makes you so sure that he isn't responsible for any crime?"

"Fine, argue with me. You're supposed to be on my side." She mocked a pout.

"If you're so passionate about this case, then why don't YOU handle it?" he countered.

She could detect a slight hint of irritation in his voice, which was a sign that usually told her to back off already. But her gut feeling had her this time. The young girl shook back her falling bangs and placed her hands on top of her superior's desk. "I think you should handle the job. You know more about these things. I'm only your apprentice after all, Mikagami-san."

He removed his glasses from his face and folded his arms. "In theory, you can already handle your own clients. I don't know why you bother to stick with me. And more so, I specialize in crime litigations, not charity cases."  

"This isn't a charity case, and this has something to do with crime. A false crime." She stressed those three words, "She has money. And may I point out that with that comment you just made, you're starting to look like you value funds more than your clients."

"Am I supposed to value them?"

"Don't you?" she asked.

"No."

"Still cold-hearted, I see." Yuriko stiffened a smile. "No wonder Clarissa left you."

"Can we not go over my personal life?" Tokiya demanded, his blue eyes flashing coldly for a second. "What does Clarissa have to do with this? I thought we discussed that already, Yuriko. We deal with work, that's why you're here. I didn't train you to scrutinize every little detail of my relationships." 

Short moments of awkward silence followed.

"Sorry." She bit her lip. 

There was another a gap of silence.

Not wanting to issue another petty argument, he nodded, acknowledging her apology.

"So, how come you force 'platonic' relations upon yourself and your clients?"

He gave an inward sigh. Dealing with Yuriko was like handling an overexcited puppy. He didn't know how to react to her odd notions. Maybe he should hurry up with her papers and get her a job already with another law firm. Having her as an apprentice drains him from his much needed energy. Sometimes he felt like laughing, other times he felt like strangling her. But then again, she provided him with fresh amusement. But at questions like these...

Tokiya rolled his eyes. "Must we go over this again? It's against conduct to have any form of quixotic bond with any of your clients. I suppose you know that already, which would leave me to ask why you insist on probing me for answers..."

"I didn't mean THAT kind of answer. I mean, you treat your clients as...things. One you win the case, you shoo them off, then go back to your office to brood, like you always do."

"I don't see why it's necessary to form friendships with people who only seek for your skills at the courtroom. They hire me as their lawyer, I get the job done and that's it." He replied, flatly. "We're going off-topic again, Yuriko. Now, give me a few more reasons as to why I should pay attention to this..." he flipped through the folders his novice handed him. "Kirisawa."

Her face perked up. "You will help?"

"I didn't say that."

For the first time, he noticed that she was looking a little uncomfortable.

"Well, it's too late...you see..." she motioned to a figure standing outside the window.

His pale blue eyes narrowed. "What does that mean?"

Yuriko gave a nervous sort of laugh. "We...eell, I kinda brought her here."

"What?!" he stood up, abruptly, setting down his mug of coffee. "What gave you the idea--"

His words were cut short as Yuriko made a swift motion to pull a petite girl inside. Tokiya spotted a dash of purple for her hair and set his mouth in a firm line. She was looking just as surprised as he was, and was fidgeting a lot, not to mention on the verge of looking like she was about to cry or burst out laughing.

"Fuuko-san, meet Mikagami Tokiya. My boss and the one who's about to handle your case." Yuriko touched her arm gently and gave Tokiya a half-pleading look. 

Tokiya would have thrown them both out of his office, had he not seen the groups of people staring at them from his glass window. He shot an 'I'm-going-to-kill-you' face at his assistant who managed to get him in a clump of future agitation, before tugging on the blinds to give them some privacy. By this time, Yuriko led the girl to a seat by his desk and managed to let out, quite hurriedly – she had probably sensed that she was about to get it – "Well, I'll be back later, after 10 minutes. Would you care for some doughnuts, Fuuko-san?"

The young girl shook her head politely while gazing at the tall man clad in a dark blue business suit in front of her.

Before Yuriko could close the door, Tokiya grabbed the handle. "You and I are going to have a serious talk later about a few policies, Ms. Senada." And he promptly shut it on her face. It took him another few seconds to compose himself. He drew a deep breath and ran his fingers through the silver strands that were loose from his ponytail. He was still mildly – no, greatly irked at the fact that his apprentice took the liberty of setting up a new case for him, without his consent. They really need to discuss the way things work around the real world of law. She can't go around, piling folders in front of every Tom, Dick and Harry she sees.

He glared at the curious ladies gathering by his doorway, before walking over to his desk and leaning against it. 

"Nice office." The girl called Fuuko, remarked.

He studied her carefully before opening his mouth. Yuriko couldn't be more accurate than her description of 'fresh graduate'. It fitted this one perfectly. In fact, he would have just mistaken her for just a common teenager because of the denim jeans and simple, green shirt. There was a mop of deep plum on her head and deep cobalt orbs for her eyes.

"I mean, you really have a tidy desktop and the whole arrangement looks..."

"Bland." He smirked. "Please don't waste your time reminding me of my poor designing skills."

He was already used to Yuriko's constant nagging and complaining re his aesthetic expertise for he found little time to fix up the very room he'd been working in for 2 years already. There was a desk, his laptop, printer, 2 chairs for clients, a tall bookcase where he kept research materials and some plants, which his subordinate insisted on bringing in, to 'add color to the dull room'.

He really didn't care, anyway. Like most things, this was trivial.

"No, actually, I think that warm gray, red and dark blue complement each other. I like the way you set the wallpaper to match the carpet. And even though it's sparsely furnished, it looks quite tasteful." She replied, giving him a small smile of her own.

Tokiya reached for the folder Yuriko brought in and opened it. "Are you sure you're a biologist?"

"Yes." She answered, her blue eyes crinkling. 

It was all very peachy, but he didn't want to waste any more time discussing the fine points of interior design with a natural scientist who had a flair for architectural matters. A headache, which began to form a few minutes ago, was now threatening to develop into a throbbing mess and all he wanted to do was recline and sip his coffee without having to worry about anything else. 

He sat down in his chair and placed his two hands in front of him, eager to get everything over and done with. "I understand that you talked to my assistant regarding your father's plight. Now, I honestly have to tell you that she only gave me the details a few minutes ago so I'm still a bit unfamiliar with your case. Usually, I take clients at least 2 weeks before their court hearing to give them and myself ample time for preparations, extra research..."

"I understand." She responded, her tone suddenly somber, which was far from the amused one he was hearing earlier. "I wanted to make sure that I wouldn't just interrupt you in the middle of your busy schedule but Senada-san brushed it all away, reassuring me that it was quite alright and that you'll only be glad to help me. So I decided to give it a try."

"She said that?"

"If I remember correctly, she did."

He placed a hand on his forehead where the dull ache had already began to pinch his nerve endings.

Maybe a scolding would be more appropriate for that girl.

"Mikagami-san? If it's really too much trouble...I mean I'd understand perfectly if you have a pending case to take care of or if you think this won't work out because it doesn't meet your requirements. I don't want to force anything. It's just that I've been trying to look for someone who could help me, because apparently, I can't do all of the investigation alone. There are terms and procedures which I can't grasp since I never really delved into this genre. But I'm willing to step out already if I'm becoming a bother." Fuuko bit her lip and stared at her lap. "I know that you're the one of the top lawyers in Tokyo, and that you're probably needed in more important places. I won't take it against you."

_What? Why does everything have to do with me being a top lawyer?_

Tokiya made a quick and mental deliberation over it. He didn't have any pending cases for the moment. His weekend was essentially work-free already. Technically, he could already take her in as his newest client and begin working on the problem. That policy regarding the 3-week requirement was something he could disregard easily. From the corner of his eye, he caught a tear, which dared to roll down the girl's cheek. Yuriko was staring at him from the door, mouthing.

'Well?'

He ignored her first.

"I better get going then." Fuuko stood up, cheerfully. A big contrast to what he was seeing a few seconds ago. "I still have a few more places to go. Maybe I could take my chances there. Thank you, for at least listening to me. I'm sorry to have taken your time---"

"Come back tomorrow." He found himself saying.

"Excuse me?"

_What am I doing? _

"Come back tomorrow." He repeated. "Give me some time to look up your father's case, and we'll talk about what to do."

"So...you're...agreeing?" her eyes widened in disbelief, but at the same time, her face brightened and showed the complete opposite of what it was mirroring when she first stepped into his office.

Tokiya, you are a first-class idiot. You're allowing yourself to take charge of something you've never done before. Congratulations and good luck.

"Yes." He held out his hand. "Kirisawa-san." 

***

"What made you take it? Did you see the look on her face? She was glowing with joy, by the time she stepped out of your office." Yuriko pressed on excitedly, when her boss called in for her, despite the lingering scowl on his face. I mean, I thought there was a slight possibility of you accepting her but I also considered a lot of other things you would ordinarily think of when it comes to---"

"What are you up to?" he asked, sternly.

Ooops.

"What do you mean?" she asked, in her most innocent voice.

"You know what I mean." Tokiya shot her a piercing glare, refusing to be sidetracked.

"Listen, I just thought that it would be a good idea if..."

"You brought her into my office, without me even agreeing to help?" Tokiya finished for her, with a cocked eyebrow – his trademark expression. "Even if I do take the person in as my client, you can't keep on doing this. It reflects how you would act when faced with more serious situations. Sooner or later, you're going to work for another company who will have senior officers that don't take these little games as lightly as I am. You can get into trouble."

"Like what?"

"Like getting fired, for instance."

It was only now that she noticed the gravity of her actions.

"I'm sorry okay? She really needed help. And I felt that you might have not agreed to do it if I didn't bring her in.."

The voice at the back of his head told him that she had a point. 

Would he have accepted her request, if Yuriko didn't introduce them?

Come to think of it, what made him say yes so quickly?

TBC

**Author's notes:**

Oh yeah. She does it again.

She writes another tofu fic before even finishing the others.

Gomeeeeeeeeeeeeen. Um, I'll prolly lose interest in this one too. Hee. Kidding. Let's hope that I don't, coz I really want to accomplish something before my summer ends. This fic idea was created when I had nothing to do except twirl my hair and think of Michael Rosenbaum in all of his delicious, appealing, Lex-icating (yeah, is there such a word?) glory. Oh come on, he IS hot, doncha all think so? (At this point, it is pretty obvious that the author is truly, madly, and deeply in love with the Smallville series. She worships it.

Jin: Whee! Smallville!

Readers: ...

Michael Rosenbaum: ...

Alright. Enough. 

I made a Harry Potter reference up there. It's a single line and I do hope someone can spot it. It's quite easy actually. :D For questions, violent reactions, cabbages or tomatoes, please feel free to drop a review or email me.


	2. Red Tape

Complications 

By Jin

**Disclaimers: **Rekka no Honou and its characters are copyrighted to their respective owners. No profit was gained from writing this, except for the amusement of the author and the people who would read this. Senada, however, is purely fictional and has nothing to do with the anime/manga series.

**2: Red Tape ---**

_She couldn't help it. _

_They were soft, warm but firm lips pressing gently against her own as if unsure whether to stop or continue. It sent her tumbling into an unknown territory and brought certain tingles everywhere – from the little sensations on her cheek whenever his fingers caressed it, to her own legs which seemed to lose their purpose. Another smooth hand cradled the base of her neck to support her head, which was swimming in circles of different thoughts._

_She kissed him back, applying the slightest bit of pressure to make her feelings known._

_'...please don't stop.'_

_'I don't intend to.'_

_'Good.'_

_He dared to open his mouth the slightest bit to deepen the passion growing by the seconds passing them by. She didn't object. She just let him continue with his actions and melted into his arms._

_His touch._

"Fuuko?"

She let out a slight gasp of surprise and jerked her head at the newcomer. 

"What are you doing?"

The 23-year-old girl shook herself out of her idyllic reverie and forced her eyes to come into focus. "I'm so sorry. I must have dozed off in the middle of these." She mumbled shyly, gesturing at the messy paperwork, which she managed to crumple when her body decided to take a short catnap. Fuuko glanced at her wristwatch and saw that it was 1:10 am.

"Well, try to get some sleep, okay?" said her landlady.

"Yes, I will." She promised.

Maya, a woman in her late fifties, smiled at her tenant's hard work. She was an old acquaintance of her family and was kind enough to take her in, since the house Fuuko lived in was 'confiscated' (as the old lady put it) by the authorities. 

"You'll get through it, dear." She reassured her with a small hug. "Your father will be immensely proud of you when he gets out of that confounded prison. Have you managed to find a lawyer yet?"

"Oh yeah, I did." Fuuko's eyes brightened and she hurriedly searched through the jumble in front of her. "His name is Mikagami, and I'm coming back tomorrow so that we can discuss everything. I am SO glad I found one already Maya-san. I was beginning to think that there were no available ones here in Tokyo at all. I was ready to set foot in Kyoto already."

"Mikagami...isn't that the young man we see hurrying on TV sometimes?"

She nodded.

"Well, you've certainly seized a famous guy. He's made quite a name for himself."

I don't even know what made him agree. He was sitting there, looking like he was sorely tempted to boot me out of his office when those words fell from his tongue. 

"I better get going. Still have to make a trip to the market tomorrow morning, Fuuko. Don't stay up to late, you hear?" 

"I'll try not to."

And Fuuko was left back to her original state. Alone, in a dark room illuminated by a bright lamp standing on the mahogany table her father owned. Maya's visit wasn't a surprise. The kind woman would visit from time to time these past weeks. Though she was quite capable of taking care of herself already, it certainly has been hell enough for her. The absence of her beloved father wounded her like the little pricks of a needle that wouldn't stop. There was also her homework and papers to take care of, if she wanted to bag that degree she was working for. Maya would purposefully bring her an occasional mug of soup, a cup of steaming tea or a warm jacket to keep her warm during these cold evenings. 

"I wonder how papa's doing..." she wondered out loud, while fiddling with the hem of her favorite sweater.

It wasn't really that entertaining to hear her father explain the details of the man who threatens to pursue them.

It wasn't a pretty sight either to see the man who brought her up, captured and taken away for no particular reason except for the two words:

Murder and arson.

_What were those supposed to mean?_

They've always lived a simple and moderate life. They weren't filthy rich, but neither were they dirt poor. She grew up in a modest house, went to a good public school and with hard work, got into an excellent college. Her father worked as an auditor for a small company, and whatever he earned was enough for the two of them. Fuuko was just about to start her own job-hunt when she spotted her father's face being forced into a police car on television.

They never said anything to her. Her father was not allowed to speak about it at all. She was only able to catch a few phrases.

"Fuuko! Your grandfather! He's the one behind this mess!"

And nothing more. Her father never complained or talked about his mysterious job. That was all Fuuko needed to know, according to him. As long as it provided food on the table, it was enough. He refused to go any further.

Fuuko sank her head into her arms for the nth time. Enough worrisome thoughts. They weren't going to get her anywhere this time. She already found help. They would start tomorrow. Maya's right – she should go to sleep to preserve her energy for she was close to looking like a wreck. Only concealer and a slight dab of color saved her from resembling a vampire with dark shadowy eyes.

But she couldn't sleep. Not after that **dream** of hers. 

It was surreal, but at the same time, so convincing. It was as if it were truly happening to her.

All dreams feel that way, don't they?

She licked her lips subconsciously, remembering how it felt. What made it feel even stranger was that she couldn't remember the face of her supposed love interest. Nothing. Blank. Zilch. Nada. It was all blurry, save for one pair of pale blue eyes.

A frown crossed her face. There's got to be more than a million people with eyes of the same hue.

_Yet I felt that it was someone I know..._

Confused all the more, Fuuko closed her own tired eyes and went of to the nirvana she had been fancying ever since she was 12.

***

He couldn't help but stare at her drained face. Even the smallest amount bit of color she managed to produce yesterday was gone. She looked worn-out and in no condition to stand, lest even talk.

"Are you feeling ill, Kirisawa-san?" Tokiya couldn't help the edge of concern that touched his voice. He would see days when Yuriko would come to work with the flu or cold, but never had he seen anyone appear like this.

She didn't reply.

_Stupid question._

His eyes flicked over to Yuriko who was looking just as worried as he was. She came forward and touched his newest client gently on the shoulder.

"Fuuko-san?"

That seemed to wake her up, for she came out of her trance, forced a smiled and looked earnestly at him. "Yes? Oh, I'm sorry...I must have spaced out. I've been doing that a lot, you know. I haven't slept well these couple of nights." She confessed apologetically.

Maybe she was being a little bit too earnest in that stare of hers. It was strained. Tokiya had been reading faces and body languages for the longest time and this girl wasn't fooling him at all.

"Coffee?" Yuriko asked.

"No thanks." She declined politely. "Where were we, Mikagami-san?"

His eyebrow went up a little bit. "Actually, we haven't even begun, Kirisawa-san. For the past few seconds, I wasn't sure whether my voice was reaching your eardrums."

"Oh...sorry." Fuuko flushed slightly, looking more human now than the near-corpse he saw moments ago.

"Don't mind it." He replied. "Shall we?"

She nodded. "Please go ahead."

"Well, I've gone through the folders you've given me already. The information provided is okay – but it's not what we're looking for."

"What do you mean?" she fought to keep her focus on and not drift away to the mindless dreamworld.

"It lacks evidence." He stated plainly. "So far, I have..." he flipped through the papers, "your father's resume, a short summary of the company he's working for – which bothers me a little for it has no name at all – and the details when and where he was arrested."

"Huh?"

Tokiya sighed and forced himself to understand that this was a girl who graduated from a **Biology **course and had no idea on what was really going on. He wasn't used to dealing with clients like her. Everyone else he handled were much older and superior than him. This was like taking care of a kid. She knew nothing about how it works.

He decided to try again.

"What we're looking for are the answers to these two questions. One, why your father was charged of yhe said crimes and two, why your grandfather has a hand in this mess. That's all, Kirisawa-san. What you've given me is fine, but most of it is unnecessary."

Fuuko said nothing.

She sank into the chair and buried her face into her hands.

For one fleeting moment, Tokiya felt a slight twist in his stomach and wondered whether she had burst into tears. He did not expect this. He only agreed to take her in as his client and bail her father out of his trap. There was no statement regarding emotional stress. Though he did see a little of her inner torment, he was totally unprepared.

"Kirisawa-san?"

Silence filled the room.

What was he going to do now? Offer her a piece of tissue? He didn't even have a supply of Kleenex in his office. He glanced around for Yuriko who seemed to have disappeared. Where was that girl when he needed her?

Soft muffled sounds escaped from her.

_Please, don't go into a sobbing fit. _

But no. She wasn't sobbing.

She wasn't even sniffling.

Good God, she was **laughing**.

By this time, Tokiya was convinced that most women were either standing on the brink of insanity or teetering by the side of mischief.

"Kirisawa-san..." he began grimly, giving her another one of his infamous stares.

Yuriko had already returned from lalaland and halted at his door.

"What is going on?" she asked.

He took a quick look at her and resumed gazing at his client. "Funny, I was going to ask the same thing, but you beat me to it. Care to try and see if she's still sane?"

"I...I spent countless nights, trying to find those!" Fuuko burst out, making the confused assistant jump in surprise. Tokiya however, remained seated. "I mean, I know it's all dumb and probably messed up for you, Mikagami-san. I just can't believe I wasted all of those hours going over 'research' which I thought would help my father and now I know that nothing's going to help and that I'm just one big idiot now and you're all laughing at my stupidity."

But again, he read her laugh. He dissected her voice. She wasn't really amused. And when she sought out his eyes with her own, he found them to be misty and defeated, instead of cheerful and jovial.

He shouldn't have used the word 'unnecessary'.

"Please pardon my indiscretion, Kirisawa-san."

_And since when did Tokiya Mikagami apologize?_

"No, it's okay. Really." She plastered that fake smile all over her face again.

He didn't like the effect on her face. Tears that were ready to spill any moment now were daring him to make another tactless comment.

_When did you really care?_

"No, I shouldn't have remarked so suddenly." 

_And did the ever so cold and aloof Tokiya offer his handkerchief to weeping women?_

She sat frozen in her seat. His outstretched hand remained still.

Oh, he just hated it when women cry. He couldn't stand Yuriko's quiet sobs, when she would talk to him about her difficulties, when Clarissa burst out sobbing after he announced their breakup... and now, this girl seated right in front of him.

"Are you going to take it or not?" he asked, a bit impatiently, to preserve whatever was left of his dignity.

_Tokiya does have a weak spot after all._

**_Shut up._**

He was so busy waging a mental battle that he hardly caught her mumble of appreciation.

"Mikagami-san?" Fuuko asked.

He shook himself free from his stance and settled back into his seat.

Tokiya racked his head for a reply. "We ran out of Kleenex..."

'We ran out of Kleenex.' How dumb could his answers actually get? What's next now? He'd announce that he needed more minerals in his diet and decided to take some salt from her?

"I see." She murmured.

"Ahem." Yuriko coughed and gestured to his windows.

Ah, great. A hundred ladies crowded outside, pressing against the glass to hear whatever was coming out of their mouths. Occasional laughs and small whispers went around and he didn't have to guess what they were talking about.

He suddenly sensed another attack of headaches coming at him.

"This really isn't the best place for you to discuss these." Yuriko spoke up.

Fuuko looked up and wrinkled her nose, slightly confused.

"And why not, Yuriko?" he inquired with a sigh.

"Well, you don't have privacy." She explained, jerking her head towards the small group crowded near his window, "and perhaps Fuuko-san would prefer a more comfortable location. Lunch, maybe? She doesn't look like she's had a square meal for days..."

Tokiya watched Fuuko intently with the corner of his eye. Yuriko was right – the pale face, enervated body and her 'spacing out' weren't good signs.

"Kirisawa-san, would you mind stepping out?" he asked.

_Viola! Tokiya invites a lady to lunch. Nice going._

**_You shut your trap, or I will make you._**

"Uhh..." she glanced at Yuriko.

"Oh, don't mind me!" the taller girl smiled amiably. "I'm having my own lunch date with a few girlfriends. Besides, you don't have to worry about Tokiya here. He doesn't bite unless provoked."

"I resent that..." he smirked. "It's just lunch across the block, Kirisawa-san." He added.

Fuuko looked uneasy and blushed even more. "But...I don't want to impose or anything, I mean it's very embarrassing to you, Mikagami-san. If at all, I should be the one treating you to lunch..."

"Nonsense!" Yuriko grinned manically, and pulled the lithe girl from her chair and practically shoved her in front of Tokiya. "Take good care of her because it's exactly 12 noon and we women must feed to keep our energy going. Wouldn't want any fainting business, wouldn't we?" she waggled her eyebrows at her boss.

Yes, it was so typical of her to bring up his elderly client who collapsed in his office, months ago.

Yuriko bounced off the room and that left the two of them there. Fuuko seemed intent on staring at his carpet.

Well, he was hungry. He couldn't just leave her here, or send her away because they simply needed to get something done. Time was also catching up on her too.

"Kirisawa-san?"

She bit her lower lip.

'What must I do to get her to come with me? Give me a sign, for heaven's sake!' Tokiya pleaded to the favorable Gods, silently.

His 'sign' came by the form of a low rumble.

...which certainly did not come from him.

Fuuko slowly raised her head and grinned. "I suppose I am a little hungry."

"It's settled then." He nodded, picking up his mobile phone, wallet and the files they needed. "We can continue our conversation over there. We have to walk a little, though. Would you mind? Because if you're still feeling a little lightheaded, I can drive my car."

"Oh no, I can walk." She reassured him with a brighter smile. "I'm not that sick...and I appreciate your concern, Mikagami-san."

He didn't reply anymore and walked straight to the elevator. He paused shortly, allowing her to go first. As the doors were closing, he was able to glimpse at his officemates (which were composed of 90% females which made him wonder from time to time why he was assigned to this floor...) and heard their hushed whispers and bubbly laughs. What irked him a bit was the sight of their eyes constantly shifting from him to the girl beside him.

'Giggling should be banned', thought Tokiya as he rolled his eyes in disgust.

It was a quiet walk to the small café they were heading to. He kept himself busy by re-reading the bits of information she gathered. As much as he wanted to just close the folder and keep it locked in his desk and one day feed it to the paper shredder, he couldn't. He simply could not find the words to say to this girl. 

Maybe it was her physical appearance that was keeping him back. For although Tokiya Mikagami was one of the most distant men in the universe, he was still human and humans could feel pity.

_"...you treat your clients as...things. One you win the case, you shoo them off, then go back to your office to brood, like you always do."_

Why the sudden surge of compassion?

He had no idea. But just like every other puzzle that came to mind, he was going to figure out why.

TBC

**Author's notes:**

First of all, a very BIG thanks to those who reviewed! You guys are soooooo nice.

**Meseta**, I'm honored that you'd place me among those well-known authors. But my all time inspiration for tofu would be fuuko_no_miko and her wonderful fic, Heaven Awaits. If you haven't read it, I suggest that you do so. It will really knock you out of your feet.

1. I'm not going to explain the dream sequence up there. :)

2. Tokiya's character was fun to write about. Mind you, it was hard to keep him grumpy and concerned at the same time. You may notice that he and Fuuko seem a bit OOC, but let's consider their ages. Both of them are in their early twenties. Don't you think they would have matured a bit already? It would seem awkward to have a 23-year old Fuuko pouncing at the thought of food.

3. Hee. I made Tokiya headache-prone and uneasy when it comes to ladies weeping. (Man, how did he reject those hearts longing for him?)

4. Does it seem like Yuriko's up to something? I think she is. She's another amusing character. Don't worry...she'll be appearing more in the next chapters to come.

5. What do you guys think of the handkerchief scene? Was it a display of slight interest or just Tokiya being ever so polite? (Elevator scene. Hehe.) Tell me. I'd like to know how the readers interpreted it.

6. Chapter is entitled Red Tape, meaning formalities. It also signals the start of the working relationship.

No one was able to spot my Harry Potter references? If you don't know what they are, they're lines I've taken from the different books. Come on, they're not that hard to spot. In fact, if you did read those notes up there, you'll spot a clue for the reference I made for this chapter.

Til the next chapter!


	3. Hiatus note

Hi guys. Short note only:

Sorry if I haven't updated that much. Really busy right now with highschool. It's gonna be a bit tight this year because I'm aiming for the honor roll. I'm still on to the idea, though. I'm just going a little bit more slowly this time. A paragraph or two every once in a while. My sincerest apologies...really.

To Cherie, I'm sorry you felt offended by the name. I guess I'll have to pick another one...but I might end up offending another reader! Perhaps you guys can offer Japanese names? Clarissa was meant to be a british lady who met Tokiya during his travels to Europe. (Oooops, I spilled a few bits. But you guys deserve it anyway.)

Gah. I feel horrible about this. Don't get me wrong, I love school (Yes, I'm a weird geek. Sue me.) BUT I also like writing. *sighs*

But hey, thanks for all the support! (This sounds like a farewell.) I promise to be back with a really nice and long chapter to make up for this hiatus.


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